CMC: Vocabularies Subcommittee Annual Report 2023

submitted by Janelle West

Current Roster

  • Janelle West, Chair (2026)
  • Anne Adams (2023)
  • Jim Alberts (2027)
  • Josh Aldorisio (2025)
  • Kristi Bergland (2025)
  • Blaine Brubaker (2026)
  • Ann Churukian (2024)
  • Patty Falk (2024)
  • Mary Huismann (2024)
  • Ivan Kaproth-Joslin (2027)
  • Allison McClanahan (2023)
  • Rick McRae (2026)
  • Laikin Morris (2027)
  • Jennifer Olson (2023)
  • Tomoko Shibuya (2026)
  • Tracey Snyder (2024)
  • Clare Spitzer (2025)
  • Alice Sujana (2027)
  • Mark Scharff, NACO Music Project Coordinator (2025)
  • Leo Martin, SACO Music Funnel Coordinator (2026)
  • Maarja Vigorito, Library of Congress Representative
  • Jay Weitz, OCLC Representative

List of Previous Goals and Progress Made

  • 1. Continue review of music-related LCSH and LCGFT, and LCMPT terms appearing in monthly LC tentative lists with task group, VS LC representative, and the Music SACO Funnel Coordinator; submit comments to LC when appropriate. Continue with defined projects and ad hoc proposals for LCGFT and LCMPT.
    • Task group has reviewed the monthly tentative lists and submitted comments to LC Policy, Training, and Cooperative Programs Division (PTCP) when appropriate.
    • Active proposals:
      • LCMPT: viol ensemble
      • LCGFT: Liturgical terms related to chant; Hymns scope
    • Proposals vetted, submitted, and in various stages of SACO or LC approval:
      • LCMPT: nail violin; gralla (revised)
      • LCGFT: Blackface minstrel shows; Blackface minstrel music; Sampler albums (Sound recordings) (revised); Simplified editions (Music) (revised); Minstrel shows (revised); Minstrel music (revised)
      • LCSH: Avant garde (Music) (revised); Mixtapes (revised)
    • Proposals accepted:
      • LCMPT: song bells; xylophone (revised); actor (revised); speaker (revised)
      • LCGFT: Postludes (Music); Maskanda; Trance music; Experimental music; Mixtapes; Barong (Music) (revised); Trance (Electronic dance music) (revised)
      • LCSH: Blackface minstrel shows; Blackface minstrel music; Treble voices (as free-floating term for Choruses); Choruses, Sacred (Treble voices); Minstrel shows (revised); Minstrel music (revised); African American wit and humor (revised); Minstrels (revised); Blackface entertainers (revised)
  • 2. Continue to serve as managing body for the Types of Compositions list and vetting body for the Thematic Indexes list
    • Types activities:
      • Active proposals: Gesang/Gesänge (revision); Songs without words
      • Terms vetted and added: Overture/Overtures; Bagatella/Bagatelle, Solfeggio/Solfeggios, Anthem/Anthems, Baladi (updated), Eloadasi darabok
    • Thematic Indexes activities:
      • Active proposals: Bach, J.S. (Blanken)
      • Approved entries: Abel (Holman); Bennett (Williamson); Binder (Fleischer); Galuppi (Pullmann); Lupo (Meyer-Lupo); Mann (Fischer, Pollack, Rudolf); Meier (ZimmermannH); Tárrega (Jape); Tomasini (Korčak); Walter (Leaver);
      • Rejected entries: Steiner
      • Edited or updated entries: Bach, W.F. (Falck); Bach, W.F. (Bach-Repertorium-WFB)
      • Completed project to add links for online thematic indexes to their respective entries
  • 3. Continue to enhance usability of Types of Compositions by adding plural terms as appropriate
    • Work on this project is in its final stages and should be completed by end of FY24
  • 4. Continue work to provide tools to partially automate creation of faceted subject/genre/medium fields in catalog records.
    • Mappings between new and revised LCMPT, LCGFT and LCSH completed for 2021 and sent to be added to the Toolkit; 2022 mappings complete and awaiting task group review
    • Explore GitHub as option for making MLA’s mapping lists and documentation available/downloadable: ongoing
    • Reach consensus on mapping decisions regarding deferred or complex musical/conceptual areas: guiding documentation reviewed, annotated and forwarded to the programmer; decisions on 048/382 mappings ongoing
  • 5. Issue revised MLA LCMPT and LCGFT Best Practices documents, in a web-based format
    • Include requests received through open suggestion box: Suggestions for revisions of the LCMPT Best Practices were gathered and addressed in the updated document; suggestions for LCGFT Best Practices have been gathered and will be utilized in upcoming revision
    • Issue preliminary and final recommendations for revised voice/chorus terms: Final recommendations incorporated into the updated LCMPT Best Practices document (version 1.5)
    • Near-final drafts for discussion by end of year; publication of revised BPs by MLA 2023 annual meeting: LCMPT Best Practices 1.5 completed by MLA 2023 annual meeting; work on LCGFT Best Practices began in summer 2023

List of Future Goals

  • 1. Continue review of music-related LCSH, LCGFT, LCDGT and LCMPT terms appearing in monthly LC tentative lists with task group, VS LC representative, and the Music SACO Funnel Coordinator; submit comments to LC when appropriate. Continue with defined projects and ad hoc proposals for LCGFT and LCMPT.
    • Goal Area 2: Develop and Retain Membership, Objective 2.4: Support members working in various disciplines within an organization that also includes aspects of music librarianship, including, but not limited to, members of the Association
    • Goal Area 2: Develop and Retain Membership, Objective 2.6: Promote MLA as being an Association that will advocate for our profession, our members, our users, our institutions and for diversity. Prioritize the visibility and awareness of advocacy
    • Goal Area 3: Cultivate Inclusivity, Objective 3.4: Reflect DEIA principles in MLA’s leadership, membership, core values, mission, strategies and operations. Devote resources to clarifying and strengthening the “E” and “I” in DEIA
    • Goal Area 4: Strengthen Communication, Objective 4.5: Participate in the community of music librarianship existing outside of MLA
  • 2. Continue to serve as managing and vetting body for the Types of Compositions; enhance usability of the Types of Compositions list by adding plural terms as appropriate
    • Goal Area 2: Develop and Retain Membership, Objective 2.4: Support members working in various disciplines within an organization that also includes aspects of music librarianship, including, but not limited to, members of the Association
    • Goal Area 4: Strengthen Communication, Objective 4.5: Participate in the community of music librarianship existing outside of MLA
  • 3. Continue to serve as managing and vetting body for the Thematic Indexes list
    • Goal Area 2: Develop and Retain Membership, Objective 2.4: Support members working in various disciplines within an organization that also includes aspects of music librarianship, including, but not limited to, members of the Association
    • Goal Area 4: Strengthen Communication, Objective 4.5: Participate in the community of music librarianship existing outside of MLA
  • 4. Continue work to provide tools to partially automate creation of faceted subject/genre/medium fields in catalog records; work toward consensus on mapping decisions regarding deferred or complex musical/conceptual areas
    • Goal Area 2: Develop and Retain Membership, Objective 2.4: Support members working in various disciplines within an organization that also includes aspects of music librarianship